


Fitting In

by SkyWasMadeofAmethyst



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Anxiety, Black Reader, Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Interracial Relationship, Love, Meeting the Parents, Mentions of Racism, Romance, reassurance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 04:08:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16736811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst/pseuds/SkyWasMadeofAmethyst
Summary: You have some reservations about going to Dan's hometown to meet his family. You're feeling especially anxious after the disaster that happened when you let Dan meet your own family. Can Dan manage to reassure you that history won't repeat itself?





	Fitting In

**Author's Note:**

> An anon on Tumblr asked if I'd write a black reader. So here we are. I hope it turned out well.

You let out a frustrated sigh as you sloppily unfolded and refolded the same fluffy lilac sweater for the third time in a row. You stared down at your open suitcase a feeling of complete hopelessness washing over you. How could packing for a two week trip feel so impossible?

Why did it feel as though packing for a trip to New Jersey was a thousand times more difficult than packing for a trip to New Orleans. You’d like to claim that it was just because you’d never been to New Jersey before, let alone a trip to New Jersey in the snowy cold winter, but you knew the real reason behind your distress.

This wasn’t just any trip to New Jersey. This was a trip to New Jersey to celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday you were painfully unfamiliar with, despite your longtime boyfriend’s best attempts to teach you everything there was to know about the holiday.

It wasn’t just the unfamiliar holiday in an unfamiliar setting that was making your stomach turn, it was just who you would be celebrating with.

Danny had decided it was time to take you home to meet his family, which you guess made perfect sense. You’d recently moved into his place and it was obvious that the relationship had long ago grown serious. So here you were cluelessly packing a bag for the snowy northeast feeling lost as can be and trying not to puke.

This was going to be alright, you tried to remind yourself, this was going to be a nice happy visit. His family would love you and nothing would go horribly wrong.

You just wished you believed yourself when you said that.

You almost jumped out of your skin dropping the crumpled-up sweater, into the heap of clothing sitting within your suitcase, as you felt a pair of lanky arms embrace you from behind.

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes as you heard a familiar snicker. “Did I scare you?”

“No, I meant to do that.” You remarked knowing your tone of voice definitely revealed the truth.

Dan snickered at this pressing a kiss to the back of your neck before he released you. He dropped down on to your bed nodding down at the suitcase as he made himself comfortable. “Need any help?”

You managed to give him a smile though it came out far weaker than you’d hoped as you spoke. “No, just trying to decide what kind of stuff to pack…I’m not sure how many sweaters I need…I mean, you know I’m not the type to just freeze all the time…but this is California so it’s kind of hard to freeze ever…I packed a couple of plain short sleeved blouses and some leggings and jeans too just to be safe…I wasn’t sure which would be warmer. I packed a pair of velvety leggings to wear with a warm enough dress since you said your dad is going to want to take us to dinner. I figured that would be both dressy enough and warm enough.”

You paused clearing your throat as you picked up the navy blue peacoat you’d recently purchased. Finding a coat was harder than you’d hoped given that finding a good heavy coat in LA was next to impossible. You’d finally located a vintage coat that seemed warm enough at a second-hand shop in Glendale. It hadn’t been too expensive even with the thick faux fur collar, but you were worried sick that it wouldn’t be warm enough. “I’m trying to decide if I should just pack this in my carry on, or should I wear it…I’m going to look insane walking through LAX in this thing but I’m not sure what else to do. I don’t want to pack it in my suitcase since I imagine I’m going to need it the second we leave the airport in Jersey.”

You paused again not helping but to express your fears out loud though a voice in the back of your brain pointed out that you were obsessing. “Do you think this coat is even warm enough?”

Dan felt the chuckle leave his lips quietening it as he noticed the unamused look on your face. He reached out running his fingers along the silky interior of the coat as he spoke. “It should be okay…it seems pretty thick and you’ve got a scarf and some knitted gloves…it’s just New Jersey though babe, it’s not like I’m taking you to the Arctic Circle.”

You managed to let out a small laugh knowing the shaky sound of your laugh made it obvious just how anxious you felt. “It might as well be the Arctic Circle. You forget I’m a New Orleans girl…I’ve never seen a New Jersey winter.”

Dan couldn’t help but to grin quick to tease you as he spoke. “Don’t worry I’ll be sure to keep you warm on those snowy Jersey nights.”

You raised a manicured eyebrow as you spoke not helping but to feel your stomach flip. “I’m not sure us getting way too cozy would help me make the best impression on your parents. It never just ends with cuddling with us baby...I mean we aren't like sex-starved teens or anything, but you know we sometimes have a tendency to get carried away.”

Dan snorted at this comment nodding his head. “Good point, in the scale of things though I don’t think us getting a little too hot and heavy would be the most scandalous thing I’ve done under my parents roof. You forget I spent like a big chunk of my life hotboxing it in the car before stepping foot in my parent’s house. Cuddling and getting a bit carried away with my girlfriend kind of places low on the totem pole of naughty behavior for me.”

You shook your head turning your attention back to your suitcase. You’d heard plenty of stories about Dan’s stoner years. There were times when you forgot that your boyfriend was the same guy who spent three days doing nothing but eating an entire plate of pot brownies back when he was in his mid twenties.

You knew that he had a point, getting a little too affectionate with you in front of his parents probably wasn’t even a drop in the barrel when it came to Dan’s past behaviors.

Dan raised an eyebrow as he watched you frantically struggle to unfold and refold a pair of flannel pajama pants. He stood up gently placing a hand over yours picking up on your panicked state. “Okay drop the pjs, your freaking out. Talk to me baby. Tell me what’s going on in your head.”

You let out a heavy sigh not shocked that he was calling you out like this. He could read you like a book at this point in your relationship, though you would admit he’d been pretty good at reading you right from the start.

You were tempted to lie and say that you were just hesitant about the cold weather you’d be subjected to back in Dan’s hometown. You knew it wasn’t that simple though.

You decided to just be blunt about it. “I just keep…I keep worrying that your parents aren’t going to approve.”

Dan furrowed his brow completely thrown off by this comment. “Why wouldn’t they?”

You sighed praying that you weren’t opening a pandoras box that would just throw you both into an argument. “I’m…I’m just, I’m pretty sure I’m not the Jewish girl your mom and dad probably pictured you bringing home for the holidays.”

Dan only furrowed his brow further completely stunned by your explanation. He spoke trying to put aside his own bewilderment in your statement and soothe you. “You know my parents don’t care about that…I’m not exactly practicing baby girl..,Besides you’ve technically met Avi and Debbie before when I’ve called them on Facetime…meeting them in person shouldn’t cause any shock on either end.”

You let out a small sigh hesitating for a moment feeling guilty for saying the words aloud. “I know….I guess, I guess mostly I’m just worried about this entire trip being a repeat of what happened with my family back at Thanksgiving.”

Dan felt his stomach drop his heart aching a bit as it always did when he allowed himself think back to the month before. The visit with your own family couldn’t have gone worse.

Things had started out a little tense to say the least. You had already been at odds with your father for years.

Your Baptist minister father had never approved of your journey into the world of burlesque, even if your odd career choice had given you some success with your own YouTube channel featuring dance lessons and performances (all safe for work of course) as well as a few private lessons, appearances in clubs, and even a couple of music videos.

That was part of how Dan and you had met. Dan and Brian had been looking for new creative ideas for a music video for one of NSP’s new songs when your mutual friend Sophie had shown Dan a video of you performing a fan dance on your YouTube channel.

Dan would tell anyone who would listen that for him it had been love at first sight. He’d been infatuated with you right from the start. How could he not. In his opinion you were stunning; dark skin, a head filled with black curls, pretty brown eyes, a figure that made his heart rate speed up just the slightest. In fitting with the burlesque scene you’d clearly adopted a somewhat vintage style; cat eye liner, red lips, and ruby red nails.

Dan had found himself watching every video you had posted up on your channel almost to the point that Brian had begun to tease him over the obvious massive crush he was clearly developing.

It hadn’t been very hard for Dan to talk Sophie into contacting you and seeing if you were interested in some music video work.

You had taken the offer. The pay was good after all, and some exposure was always welcome.

You had hated to admit that you’d found Dan handsome from the second you’d met him. You had been hesitant of him though. You had dealt with guys in rock bands before.

You’d dated more than one musician and, in your experience, they were just the worst. They were incapable of keeping it in their pants with just about anyone who crossed their path committed relationship be damned, they were deadbeats who crashed on your couch and drank you out of house and home, and they expected you to act like arm candy all while supporting every little bad habit they possessed rather it be booze or drugs.

You had long ago decided that you had no time for dating anyone especially any rock stars. A few bad boyfriends had turned you off the entire concept of dating and romance.

So needless to say, you hadn’t been 100 percent comfortable around Dan at first. You’d assumed despite his good looks he’d be just another arrogant asshole who thought he was god’s gift to rock music and women.

Dan hadn’t seemed to take too much notice of your reluctance to be anywhere near him though. If anything, he had been so respectful and sweet to you that you’d found it mind-boggling.

He’d sensed your anxiety over the shoot and had proven to be surprisingly comforting reassuring you that you were going to be amazing. It was the last thing you’d expected. After all wasn’t he the big “star” Why was he taking time out of his schedule to be so sweet to you?

There had to be a catch a voice in the back of your head had insisted. People weren’t sweet without wanting something in return.

It hadn’t been long after the shoot ended for Sophie to comment that Dan was still gushing over you. Sophie had been all to eager to point out that Dan had been asking about you, perhaps hinting that he would be interested in obtaining your number, maybe seeing you outside of a professional enviorment.

You had resisted of course, but Sophie had pushed right back against that resistance pointing out just what you were doing. You could still remember the words she’d said “You can’t spend the rest of your life shutting down every time a guy looks twice at you. I know you haven’t always had the nicest boyfriends, but as a friend of both Dan and you, I can honestly say that Dan isn’t whatever you’re convinced he is. He’s a great guy. I’m not saying you have to marry him. Just let me give him your number. Give him a chance and if you still hate his guts then you can scream and yell at me and block his number.”

You had agreed rather reluctantly of course. If anything you’d told yourself that agreeing to let Dan have your number would get Sophie off your back.

Dan had somehow managed to win you over. You hadn’t made it easy for him of course, but he’d been pretty relentless when it came to trying to win over your trust and eventually your adoration.

You could still remember how he’d finally talked you into going on a date. You could remember the exact words he’d said. The words that still made you giggle. “So, would you maybe be into the idea of going out on a date with a really tall white Jewish guy who sings about dicks for a living?”

Your only response had been to give him a soft smile and say one thing. “If he’s nice I just might.”

That had been all it had taken in the end. He’d proven to be everything you could want and more.

He’d somehow found a way to make all those walls, you’d spent so long building up around you, crumble.

You loved him. You loved Leigh Daniel Avidan with all your heart and soul.

So when your brothers had started pestering you about coming home for Thanksgiving and bringing the boyfriend you had admitted to having, you’d given in.

You had been weary of the idea of course. Your father had a certain idea about the type of man you should be with. You knew your father wouldn’t be happy to see you bring home a white Jewish guy from New Jersey.

Dan had seemed so excited about the prospect of meeting your family though. Even when you’d warned him that things might be kind of tense. He’d insisted that he could find a way to win everyone over.

For the most part he’d succeeded. Your grandmother, who had so long been the only female influence in your life after your mother’s passing, had loved Dan to death. Your brothers though a bit hesitant of Dan at first, being the overprotective idiots, they could sometime be, had managed to be swayed to approving of Dan as the visit had gone on. Dan’s love of sports had probably helped with that.

Your father had been less than easy to please though. Dan had been able to see that your father despised him right from the start. Dan couldn’t understand what he’d done wrong. He at first had feared that perhaps your father had done a bit of research on him. Maybe he’d found the NSP stuff and the Grumps stuff. He imagined that this wouldn’t fly over well with such a conservative reverend.

As the trip had worn on Dan had come up with a plan. He’d have a talk with your father, man to man. Dan had told himself that perhaps he just needed to show your father some respect, express how he felt about you. Maybe if Dan was genuine enough and willing to ask for your father’s blessing, then he could at least make some sort of headway with the man.

The man to man talk had crashed and burned. Dan had tried, he’d genuinely poured his heart out to your father only to be met with one statement.

“I just don’t approve. You aren’t the man for my daughter. You aren’t good enough for her nor are you right for her. You aren’t from our community. I will never give you my blessing for anything with my child.”

Dan had felt his heart shatter at those words.

He had tried to hold in his sorrow. He’d tried to tighten his jaw and keep a stiff upper lip over the entire letdown of the conversation.

The second he’d made it upstairs to your childhood room and locked eyes with you, he’d fallen to pieces though.

To say you’d been livid would be an understatement. Dan could still remember the words you’d screamed. “How dare you tell me he’s not good enough for me. He has been amazing to me right from the start. He has protected and adored me no questions asked from the second we met. I love him. I don’t want your blessing. Dan and I don’t need your blessing at all.”

Your father had screamed back of course enough so that Dan had almost stepped between you but thankfully had been stopped by your brothers the men knowing that if Dan got between it he might get a black eye.

Despite your grandmother’s attempts to calm the situation you’d made your choice. The words had left your lips without any hesitation. “I knew coming here was a mistake. You’ve never approved of me so I don’t care if you don’t approve of who I chose to love. We’re leaving. Good riddance.”

You’d grabbed your suitcases and left apologizing to your grandmother and your brothers.

You’d spent your Thanksgiving just Dan and you cooped up in a motel room eating room service and trying to reassure one another that it was all going to be okay.

In the end you’d managed to reassure Dan that things with your father had been headed for disaster for a long while, and that no you didn’t have any regrets about leaving your father’s home. You had managed to reassure Dan that you loved him and you wanted him no matter what anyone had to say.

The ones who mattered would be the ones who approved.

You hadn’t spoken to your father since that night and though it made you sad you’d quickly realized you were mourning a relationship that had never existed.

You had chosen Dan and you didn’t regret it.

Dan snapped out of thinking of November his arms fast to embrace you his words soothing. “That’s not going to happen. Trust me nothing like what happened at Thanksgiving is going to happen with my family.”

He pressed a kiss to your temple you unable to stop yourself from returning his embrace the feel of his arms wrapped around you always managed to soothe you no matter how hectic the world around you seemed to be. He spoke again still pressing kisses to your temple. “I love you. That is enough to make my entire family adore you. How could they not adore you? They’d have to be nuts not to love you so much. Everyone in my life adores you. They see how happy you make me.”

You managed to give him a small smile your stomach still in knots. “I love you too.”

Dan pressed a kiss to your lips before speaking again needing to say the words though he knew you’d heard them once before. “Just know that I will never let anyone disrespect you in any way shape or form. I love you. If anyone has anything shitty to say about it or just flat out isn’t happy for me then they can get lost.”

You felt your heart swell knowing this wasn’t the first time Dan had said this.

He’d been forced to say those exact words the year before when you’d been out with his coworkers enjoying a night out at a karaoke bar.

Some drunk girl had spotted Dan’s hand in yours. She’d approached Dan expressing her love for NSP. At first things had been just fine. Then the girl had looked at you a sneer crossing her lips as she’d spoke. “I thought you liked blondes. She sure as hell isn’t blonde.”

Dan hadn’t let the comment go. The girl hadn’t been bright enough to shut it. Before you’d known it she’d made a less than subtle racist comment which had resulted in an emotion you so rarely saw from Dan.

Angry Dan had been a shock. He was so sweet most of the time, so accommodating and kind, so willing to put up with just about anything. The girl had crossed a line though and Dan had gotten right in her face his eyes fixed into a cold glare.

He’d told her off expressing just how much he loved you, expressing just how fucked up her view was, expressing just how disgusted he was. In the end he’d flat out told her to do him a favor and stop being a fan, that he was sure he was speaking for more than just him when he said that he didn’t want people like her as a fan.

The night had ended with Dan and you going back to his place and you covering just about every inch of Dan with kisses and whispered words of adoration.

You hadn’t forgotten Dan’s words. He’d so rarely had to repeat them thankfully.

Dan pressed another kiss to the top of your head snickering as your curls tickled his nose. Arin had begun to joke that between Dan’s curls and your curls any future kid you two might have would just be a ball of hair.

You managed to press a kiss to Dan’s lips as he pulled back. “I’m sorry I’m so neurotic.”

Dan snorted shaking his head. “You’re speaking to the King of neurotic baby. Now come on let’s get you all packed. The sooner we get packed the sooner we can get the suitcase off this bed and put it to good use.”

You laughed shaking your head in response. “You seem awfully confident you’re getting laid tonight.”

Dan smirked as he helped you pick up the mess you’d made in your suitcase. “I was just going to suggest pulling out a board game and ordering some Chinese takeout. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

He paused the smirk only deepening. “I wasn’t even going to suggest sex until we finished our takeout.”

You snorted at this getting back to work at packing. Somehow you had the feeling that your trip to New Jersey was going to be just fine.

………………………………………..

You shook your head as you followed Dan through the crowded airport. “You know I’m way shorter than you right? You could slow down a bit.”

“Sorry baby. I forget you’re vertically challenged.” Dan replied thankfully slowing his steps ignoring the roll of your eyes more than accustomed to him taking a humorous approach to pointing out your height difference.

Dan released your hand as he spotted some familiar faces in the crowd. You felt a genuine smile cross your lips as you watched Dan embrace his parents and his grandmother almost looking like a child instead of a grown man for just the briefest moment.

Once Dan was freed from the hugs, he was quick to place an arm around your waist pulling you forward. “Mom, Avi, Doobles. I know you’ve already sort of met her through a phone screen, but this is my girlfriend [Y/N].”

You were stunned by the embrace of Dan’s mother’s arms around your waist quickly followed by Dan’s father and grandmother.

Dan exchanged a small reassuring smile with you as his mother and father both quickly spoke at once. “So happy to meet you.”

Dan wasn’t surprised that his parents walked ahead of his grandmother and he both eager to talk to you as they led you through the airport.

Dan felt his smile grow as his grandmother leaned in closer to him speaking in a low voice. “So, I’m guessing the plan for this trip is still on.”

Dan thought of the small box nestled away safely in his luggage, the little velvet box he’d been terrified to get through airport security fearing you’d be clued in on the ring that was nestled within that little velvet box.

“Yes, I’m definitely going to do it.”

His smile only grew as his grandmother spoke. “Good, she’s going to fit in just fine.”

He watched you walk his mother’s arm linking in yours as she told you all about how Dan had reacted to his first snowfall back when he was just a toddler.

Yes, you fit in just fine.


End file.
